King Vulture

Sarcoramphus papa

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
FamilyCathartidae (New World Vultures)
GenusSarcoramphus
SpeciesSarcoramphus papa (King Vulture)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Ostional Wildlife Refuge

3 Verified sightings at Ostional Wildlife Refuge From 2019 to 2026

10,355 Verified sightings across all 71 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the King Vulture

The king vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) is a large bird found in Central and South America. It is a member of the New World vulture family Cathartidae. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. It is the only surviving member of the genus Sarcoramphus, although fossil members are known.

Large and predominantly white, the king vulture has gray to black ruff, flight, and tail feathers. The head and neck are bald, with the skin color varying, including yellow, orange, blue, purple, and red. The king vulture has a noticeable orange fleshy caruncle on its beak. This vulture is a scavenger and it often makes the initial cut into a fresh carcass. It also displaces smaller New World vulture species from a carcass. King vultures have been known to live for up to 30 years in captivity.

King vultures were popular figures in the Mayan codices as well as in local folklore and medicine. Although currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, they are decreasing in number, due primarily to habitat loss. The king vulture was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Coragyps atratus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Cathartes aura

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Buteogallus anthracinus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Pandion haliaetus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Buteo platypterus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Rupornis magnirostris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Geranospiza caerulescens

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Harpagus bidentatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Buteo brachyurus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Buteo nitidus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Buteogallus urubitinga

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Ictinia plumbea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
2	Brownsberg Nature Park	🇸🇷 Suriname	~30%
3	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
4	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~20%
5	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~20%
6	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	~20%
7	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
8	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
9	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
10	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
11	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~10%
12	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
13	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
14	Canaima National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~10%
15	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
16	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
17	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
18	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
19	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
20	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
21	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
22	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
23	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
24	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
25	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
26	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
27	El Triunfo	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
28	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
29	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
30	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
31	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
32	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
33	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
34	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
35	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
36	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
37	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
38	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
39	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
40	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
41	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
42	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
43	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
44	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	<5%
45	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
46	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
47	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
48	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
49	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
50	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
51	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
52	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
53	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
54	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
55	Celaque National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
56	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	Insufficient data
57	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
58	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
59	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	Insufficient data
60	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
61	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
62	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
63	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
64	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
65	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
66	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
67	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
68	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
69	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
70	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
71	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data

← Back to Ostional Wildlife Refuge

King Vulture

About the King Vulture

Recent sightings of King Vulture in Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Closest Relatives at Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Black Vulture

Turkey Vulture

Common Black-Hawk

Osprey

Broad-winged Hawk

Roadside Hawk

Crane Hawk

Double-toothed Kite

Short-tailed Hawk

Gray-lined Hawk

Great Black-Hawk

Plumbeous Kite

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found